Living Wage Wales celebrates best ever month

Living Wage Wales has celebrated 500 real living wage employers across Wales after its best ever month.

Staff at Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Living Wage Wales met with Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Social Partnership Hannah Blythyn on the steps of the Senedd to celebrate the milestone and Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s accreditation as a real Living Wage employer.

The organisation celebrated its best ever month in June 2023, with 23,053 new employees covered by real Living Wage accreditations in Wales in this month alone.

3,649 of these employees received a pay rise onto the real Living Wage rate.

This has taken the total number of employees across Wales covered by real Living Wage accreditations to over 150,000 employees for the first time.

These employees now have a pay floor of the real Living Wage, calculated independently each year based on the real cost of living.

Cynnal Cymru acts as the accreditation partner for the Living Wage Foundation in Wales and is supported by Welsh Government funding to spread the real Living Wage as part of its wider Fair Work agenda.

“Fantastic”

On behalf of the Welsh Government, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership Hannah Blythyn said: “It is fantastic to see Living Wage Wales reach the milestone of 500 accredited real Living Wage employers across Wales.

“The real Living Wage is an important baseline and we encourage all employers to follow in the footsteps of Urdd Gobaith Cymru and many others in realising the benefits of paying the real Living Wage and becoming accredited for doing so.”

Chief Executive of Urdd Gobaith Cymru Siân Lewis said: “The Urdd is proud to be the 500th accredited employer to commit to real Living Wage.

“As an employer the Urdd is extremely proud of all our staff and the fantastic work they do to ensure an Urdd for All.

“The Urdd wanted to recognise the dedication of our staff by voluntarily raising salaries and committing to real Living Wage, reflecting their efforts to providing unique and life shaping activities to young people across Wales.”

The current UK real Living Wage rate is £10.90 an hour outside of London, and £11.95 within London. The real Living Wage rate across the whole of Wales is therefore £10.90.

Director of Cynnal Cymru (the Living Wage Foundation’s accreditation partner for Wales) Clare Sain-ley-Berry said “We’re thrilled to welcome Urdd Gobaith Cymru to the Living Wage Wales family, and to celebrate such an important milestone.

“We now have over 500 accredited real Living Wage employers across Wales, covering 150,000 employees.
June 2023 was a record-breaking month for Living Wage Wales, with the number of employees covered by real Living Wage accreditations in Wales increasing by almost 20% in this month alone.

“We’re really pleased to see the momentum Living Wage Wales is developing and the impact this is having in reducing in-work poverty. Our message to all employers in Wales is that joining this movement is not beyond you – Living Wage Wales can work with you to accredit and enjoy the business benefits of being a real Living Wage employer.

“We’d encourage all employers in Wales to get in touch with Living Wage Wales to discuss becoming a real Living Wage employer.”